Electric-circuit-closing device



w H HOPE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CLOSING DEVICE Flled Jan. 14,

l/ll/l//llllllllll/l/lll//l/lll/l/l//l/ll/l/l/l//ll/l/l/lllll/Ill/ Jan. 22 1924.

Patented Jan. 22, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. HOPE, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 HOPE FOUNDRY AND MACHINE CO., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT-CLOSING DEVICE.

Application filed January 14, 1921. Serial No. 437,193.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. HOPE, a citizen of the United btates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State l of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Circuit-Closing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as l0 will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying,r drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this l specification.

The present invention relates, generally', vto improvements in electric circuit closing devices; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel construction of floor plug receptacle.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel construction of floor plug receptacle provided with a novel selfacting means for closing the plug receiving opening of the receptacle, when the plug is withdrawn, against the passage of dirt, water or other fluids downwardly therethrough so that the contact making devices of the receptacle are protected, and all open- 30 ings in the Hoor are closed when the device is not in use, and also serving, when the plug is inserted, to laterally thrust against the same to assure firm electrical contact thereof with the receptaclev contacts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel arrangement and construction of contact receiving means for said receptacle, and also a novel construction of removable plug contact device adapted to cooperate electrically with said receptacle contact-receiving means, and at the same time adapted to readily cooperate with the receptacle closing means so as to automat-A ically open the same by the mere act of in` serting the plug into the receptacle.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel construction of floor plug and receptacle therefor hereinafter set forthgand the invention consists, furthermore, 1n the. novel arrangements and oom- The invention is clearly illustrated in the acompanying drawings, in which Figure ll is a side elevation of the novel floor plug and receptacle therefor, with the plug inserted for circuit closing cooperation with the receptacle; the receptacle casing or cover being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the same, Vthe receptacle casingor cover being omitted.

Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the rcy ceptacle with the plug removed, and showing the plug receiving opening closed.

Figure 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section, similar to that shown in Figure 2, but with the plug detached, and the plug receiving opening closed; the receptacle casing or cover being omitted. v

Figure 5 is a top or plan view of the exterior or u per end of the plug, with its cover ferru e removed.

Similar characters of reference are cm- `ployed in all of the hereinabove described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the floor plate of the receptacle, which is preferably countersunk in the Hoor 2 above an opening 3 in the latter through which the main portions of the receptacle downwardly extend. Said floor plate l is provided with a centrally disposed circular plug receiving opening 4. Suitably secured to the under side of said floor plate l is the main body 5 of the receptacle, the same comprising a suitably shaped block of insulating material depending from said floor plate. Said main body is provided with a plug receiving guide-way, preferably in the form of a semi-cylindrical longitudinal groove or channel 6, which is formed in the inner yvertical side or face of said main body 5, and which is vertically alined with said plug receiving opening 4 of said floor plate l. The said groove or channel 6 serves as a guide to the movement of the plug as the same is inserted or withdrawn relative to the receptacle to engage or disengage the same with the contact devices carried by said main body 5. y

The lower end ofsad groove or channel G is enlarged to .provide a chamber 7, the bottom ot which is closed by a metallic toot.- piece 8. Said foot-piece 8 is provided with an upwardly extending' right angled projection 9 which is arranged against the outer vertical side or face otsaid main body A fastening` screw or bolt 10 is passed through the rear wall ot said ch amber 7 and thence through said projection 9 to project outwardly therefrom. A pair ot threaded nuts 11 and 11 are engaged upon the tree end o't said screw or bolt 10. and serve with the latter not only to mechanically attach said 'foot-piece 8 to the main body 5, but also as a binding'post to receive the attachment Otan electric circuit wire 1.2 thereto. so that the current may be delivered by said tootpieceS to a contact clipsupported by the latter. Said contactclip comprises a contact plate 13 suitably secured to the 'tootpiece 8,' and provided with a plurality .ot upwardly projecting spring 4or resilient con.- tact lingers 1a disposed to embrace and engage the lower end ot the plug; `when thelatn ter is operatively inserted in the receptacle.

Formed in the inner tace or side ot said main body 5, in suitably spaced relation` V6 which serves as aseatinp; socket 15` for the positioning ot a second'contact clip. Said second contact clip comprises a contact plate 16 which is provided with a pair ot' outwardly andlate'rally projectinpspring or resilient contact lingers 17 disposed to straddle and engage the plug4 when the latter is operatively inserted in the receptacle. A fastening` screw or bolt 18 is passed through said second Contact plate 16 and thence through thereai wall ofsaid seating;` socket 15 to project outwardly Ytrom theouter side or face ot said mainY body A pair ot threaded nuts 19 and 19 are engaged `upon the tree end ot said. screw or bolt 187 and serve with the latter not only to mechan` ically attach said second contact clip to the Said inner or upperieud ot' said barrel 21 .is v

cutaway on its under side to provide an opening or passage 24e through wliicliathe plugr may pass when either inserted or withdrawn from the receptacle. The bore 22.0 said barrel 21 is open at the inner 0r upper end of the latter. and isalined or-.registeredwith the Yplug.receiving);opening e ot said` .floor ofthe latter, is a coiled compression spring. 2T,` which normally tends to constantlymove said closing' member upwardly toward and in closing` relation to the. plug receivingY opening. flot said tloor. plate. When `the )lue is o Derativel inserted in the rece itacle, l a Y it first engages and thrusts downwardly and to vone side ot said closing` member against the tension or compression of the spring27,

thus. permitting, the. plug. to passv downwardly into operative circuitclosing relation to the contact devices ot the receptacle; when the plug is withdrawn 'from the' ref ceptacle, .the spring 27.immediately.thrusts the closiiig..inember upwardly through the bore 2201i the barrel 21 until the sameseats itself against the margins of 'theplug `receiving opening 4l, thusnot ,only yclosingsaid openinnit but automatically maintainingthe same closed so long as the-.plug remains withdrawn from the i'eceptacle.

The plug above referred to.. and designed to be removably.related to the receptacle 4and itscontacts. .comprises a. headA member 28.

made ot a suitable insulating"material, .and havinga socletor chamber 29 in its upper portion. Seatedin `adejnfession cent-rally located in the bot-tom of said socketorcham-- ber 29 isa metallic nut-.pieceBO having` au outwardly and laterally projecting'v initei`-` nally threaded pcrtorate ear or lug'l 31 adapted to receive a binding.'screw 32. .orf

any other suitable wire attaching. means. Said .head member is tui'ther provided. .with

a centrally disposed passage or opening.l 33 extending. downwardly trom Vthe underside ot sa-idinut-piece 30.. Threadedinto said. nut-piece 3() so` asv to extend downwardly therefrom and Yt'i'om said head-member is a metallic tubular member 34` thelower end of which threads into Va cylindrical contact block oit enlarged diameter. Extending' around said tubular member 34: betweenisai'd f cout-act block 35 and the under side otfsaid head member 28 is a sleeve ot iusulatingmaterial fitthezdiainetcr ot' which corresponds to the diameter ot said 1 contact-block 35.`

Said. contaot-bloclri35 is provided.- withfa central longitiidinall boref? correspoiidingi` to and alined withthebore ot' said.tubular` Said contact-block is also member 3e. provided at its .lower .endvwith an external-ly threaded bessuSS lupon which `is threaded.

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the upper end of a lower sleeve of insulating material 39 also corresponding in diameter to the diameter of said contact-block 35. Threaded into the lower end of said insulator sleeve 39 by means of its externally threaded boss 40 1s an end Contact block 41. Suitably secured to said end contact block 41 is a connector wire 42 enclosed in a cover of insulation material 43. The said insulated connector wire 42 is passed upwardly and centrally through said insulator sleeve 39, contact-block 35 and tubular member 34 to immerge from the upper end of the latter within said socket or chamber 29 of the head member 28. Secured within said socket or chamber 29 of the head v member 28, by means of the bolt 44 and its nut 45 is a contact plate 46 adapted to receive a pair of binding screws 47 and 48 or any other suitable form of wire attaching devices. The upper end of said insulated connector wire 42 is secured by the binding screw 47 to said contact plate 46. The lead wire 49 of the circuit wires leading out from the plug is connected to said Contact plate 46, while the return wire 50 is connected to the lug 31 of the nut-piece 30 by the binding screw 32. Said head member 28 is provided with a cover ferrule 51, suitably secured thereto by means of fastening screws 52 or otherwise. Said cover ferrule has at its upper end an exit passage 53 through which the circuit wires 49 and 50 are passed outwardly from the chamber 29 of said head member 28.

To operatively associate the above described plug with the receptacle for the purpose of connecting the circuit wires 49 and 50 to a source of. electric current connected with the contact devices of said receptacle, the plug is grasped in the hand and thrust downwardly through the plug receiving opening 4 of the floor plate 1, so that the same enters and moves downwardly through the groove or channel 6 of the main body 5. This inward or downward thrust of the plug carries the end contact block 41 (which preferably has the tapered free extremity as shown in the drawings) into the embrace of the contact fingers 14 so as lto be electrically engaged thereby. If desired said contact fingers may be provided at their extremities with inwardly directed nosings 54 which engage in an annular groove 55 externally presented by said end contact block 41, thus serving to prevent accidental displacement or withdrawing movement` of the plug. When the plug is thus inserted in the receptacle the contact block 35 is so located as to be embraced and electrically engaged by said contact fingers 17. When the plug is thus operatively associated with the receptacle, the current delivered by the wire 12 from the source of supply passes into the contactfingers 14 and thence into the end contact block 41 of the plug, being thence conducted through the connector wire 42 to the contact plate 46, and thence outwardly through the wire 49, to return through the wire 50 to the nut-piece 30, through the tubular member 34 to the contact block 35, thence passing to the contact fingers 17 back to the source of supply through the return wire 20.

It will be apparent that, when the plug is inserted in the receptacle in the manner above described, the tapered free end of the contact block 41 will, as it enters the plug receiving opening 4 of the floor plate 1, engage the closing member 26 which, being only free to move downwardly in the bore 22 of the barrel 21, is consequently thrust obliquely downward against the tension of the spring 27 thereby placing the same 'under additional compression. The plug, thus thrusting aside the closing member 26, is free to move on downwardly into the receptacle, and so long as it remains in connected relation to the receptacle it obstructs any return movement of the closing member 26 so thatI the latter exerts a lateral tensional pressure on the plug to thereby assure a firm and secure seating of the plug contacts in electrical engagement with the receptacle contacts. When, however, the plug is withdrawn, the compression of the spring 27 will immediately thrust upwardly said closing member 26 through the bore 22 of the barrel 21, until the same is stopped by its seated and closing engagement with the margin of the plug receiving opening 4 of the floor plate 1. It will therefore be clear that the closing member is self-acting and immediately closes and keeps closed the said plug receiving opening upon withdrawal of the plug from the receptacle, so that the interior mechanism of the receptacle, enclosed in the cover or casing 56 attached to the under side of the floor 2 (see Figure l), is protected against dirt, moisture or other undesirable substances finding entre thereto through said plug receiving opening.

It will also be noted that the character and construction of the plug is such., that it aiiords a comparatively thin rod like structure which may be easily caused to pierce a rug (indicated by the dotted line 57 in the drawings) covering said floorplate, without causing material injury or damage to said rug.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts as well as in the details of the construction of the same, without departing from the scope of my present invention as set forth in the foregoing specification and as defined in the appended claims. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the various devices and partsA as described in said specification, nor

do I confine mysel't' `to thefe'xaot details ot the construction ot the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

l. In a device et the kind described, a tioor plate having a plug receiving opening, a main receptacle body having a plug guiding means, contact devices associated with said plug guiding means, means for connecting said contact devices in an `electric supply circuit, a barrel connected with the underside ot sai-d tioor plate having an internal bore al'ined with said plug receiving opening ot said tloorplate, said barrel and its 'bore being angularly off-set relative to said plug` receiving opening and said plug guiding means, a spherical closing member movable Within the bore of said barrel`r and a compression spring between" said 'floor plate having a plug guiding means vertically alined vwith said plug 'receiving opening, a pair of vvertically spaced contact clip devices supported at the lovver end 'of said receptacle body, said contact clip devices having binding post means for attaching electric circuit Wires thereto, a barrel connected With the under side of said floor plate having an internal bore alined with said plug receiving opening, said bar rel bore being angularly offset relative to said plug guiding means, a spherical closing member movable Within said bore of said barrel, 'a compression spring between the bottom of said barrel and said `closing member tor yieldingly holding the latter in normal closed relation to said plug receiving `opening when the plug is Withdrawn but exerting ia lateral thrust upon the plug relative to said contactclip devices when said plug is inserted.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of January, 1921.

VILLIAM H. HOPE.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE D. RICHARDS, EVA E. Dnscn. 

